Tuesday, January 08, 2008

A reader fired off an angry salvo last night from outside the Bowery Hotel after apparently not being allowed to enjoy a drink in their lobby bar. Our reader writes, "Fuck the Bowery Hotel. From mellow and cool to pretentious and lame. Fuck that place. Telling me I can't sit down and its their policy to only let guests sit. Place was empty and I kindly offered to get up if guests came and they needed to seat them. They were rude for the sake of being rude." Wow. Tell us how you really feel reader. We had heard the same line a few times, but they were always accommodating, especially if the lobby was empty enough. But in 2008, the Bowery don't play. That's two of their three bars which are now off limits most of the time. We'll always have Gemma though.

21
comments:

Anonymous
said...

I cannot concur more.They are inept and rude at the Bowery and just plain stupid at Gemma.When I tried to sit outside this summer for drinks they pulled the same crap with me and it was only a quarter full.And as for a new Gemma story - I knew two people who went to dinner there before the opening of the New Museum on Bowery. The restaurant was almost empty and the hostess tried to seat them in the back room in between two of the few tables that were actually taken. Needless to say they asked to be moved and the hostess said "I am sorry we have reservations". To this my friends laughed, left and went to Sala across to street for a better meal with out the ridiculous attitude.I look forward to Bowery advertising to the B&T crowd.

fuck that place i had the same experience in the lobby last week. i've been going there since it opened and its transformed from a friendly cool hang out to a lame out of towner hang out filled with staff including and especially managers that are inept, rude and flat out obnoxious.

it will be B&T just like bowery bar and the park. these guys just don't know how to keep places cool.

two thumbs down and i call for a hipster boycott of the bowery hotel. who's with me?

Hmm. I had a long conversation with the PR for The Bowery back in November for an NYC Guide I was filing for a Brit style mag. I quizzed him long & hard about the guests only stories I kept hearing about the lobby bar and he assured me they were completely untrue, that anyone could drink there. Maybe he spoke with forked tongue. Oh silly me he's a PR... of course he did! LLG xx

...I agree. Rude, inept. But get over it. You are talking about an area of NYC (i.e., the E. Vil.) that has plenty of watering holes. Like the guy who left and went to Sala, just don't give them money!

I tried going for a drink at the Bowery recently & was also turned away, but in an affable manner.I used to work in a hotel & fully understand that Hotel Lobby bars should be exclusive to guests that travel long distances & pay exorbitant rates to have a civilized setting to relax.Hotel Lobby bars are quaint for the very reason that they are prioritized for the guests.it's a bit refreshing to see that yokels don't always get to make cool exclusive places become pedestrian hang outs even if i'm on the rejected end.Kiddies remember where you live & that there are other public places to have expensive cocktails.

I am a frequent guest of the Bowery and I pay a great deal of money to stay there while on business in New York. Their policy to maintain a civilized lobby for paying guests of the hotel is understandable and not unlike other hotels in New York City. I find the staff to be kind, hospitable and lovely. It seems these people are singling out The Bowery because they feel entitled to have a hip bar to hang out at and are angry when turned away. Its easy to understand that the management doesnt want the place to become overrun with scenesters - thats not what its about.

If these people like posting about being turned away at Bowery, they'll love posting about being turned away at Waverly Inn.

Anon. at 9PM - I read this blog, but don't have a Waverly Inn connection. Will you help me get a "rez"?

In return I can get you hooked up with the Prince of Monaco, an audience with the Pope, and if you're lucky, a chance to eat shit out of the toilet bowl in Anon. 8:57 - the world's first "frequent" guest of a hotel that is less than a year old - suite at the Bowery Hotel.

money talks and bullshit walks.this is the oldest story in the world, hey even my post office has a velvet rope (not kidding at all it does), if you don't want to be kicked out there are 2 or 3 things you can do.1 grease the place. everyone has a price and if you feel too high and mighty to call it a bribe then call it something else, be creative but keep it in cash.2 get to know who runs the place and I am not talking about the promoter who does a saturday night party. get to know S&E and you won't ever have a problem at the bowery or any other project they are part of.3 be a name. a real name that means something to someone who cares about who is in the place.if I have to explain this one your problems don't end here.

good luck and don't forget your bankroll next time you go out.hipster=broke artist=coolmodel=assetsuit=$$$$which one is not like the other one?

True, but I'm an ARTIST HIPSTER who MODELS for a line of men's SUITS that specializes in having NAMES monogrammed on the liner - so according to oompaloompa, I should have no problem getting into Bowery...herpes and all.

hey oompaloompa its a frikkin lobby bar with no door person. everyone is complaining bc its supposed to be a chill place. if there is any greasing or names there then its the opposite of what we have been going to the last several months.

you've missed the entire point of these comments. go back and reread what the initial post said.

I tried to have a simple mid day cup of tea in their empty lobby, and was ignored. We sat there for about a half hour or so wondering if someone would come and take an order. They had no way of knowing if we were about to check in, or had planned to meet hotel guests. Still, it was like we were invisible. The only other people there were a French family, who eventually got their bill, and an offer to call them a cab. We were still invisible.

Eventually, after sitting for a good half hour, taking business calls, and just finding the whole experience rather curious, I decided to go and ask someone if there was anyone to take our order. At the alcove bar, there was a bartender doing some cleaning who informed me a concierge was attending to guests. We got the feeling they weren't handling cash, and were strictly charging to rooms, and gave up.

I have never been turned away from a hotel lobby bar, or even heard of such a thing. Why would anyone turn down a chance to make a buck? It's a hotel, not a private club. Worse, they changed their policy at random. What idiots.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE PLACES ANYWAY. YOU ARE SEEN BY PEOPLE? DO YOU EVER MEET PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN HAVE NORMAL HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OR DO YOU JUST MEET PEOPLE WHO WILL GIVE YOU A GREAT ONE NIGHT STAND AND THEN A REOCCURING CASE OF A GENITAL DISEASE?

GET A LIFE NEW YORKERS AND START BEING REAL AND HAVING REAL MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS WITH EACHOTHER.

Went right after they opened was served on the patio area the WORST sazerac ever. when they opened they were pushing the fact that they made quality cocktails. At no time should my drink have looked like a fruit salad with rye. I pulled a cherry orange lemon and lime out of the drink. To the waitress's credit she did comp my next drink after realizing she fucked up.

I understand the frustrations of those who have been turned away from the Bowery Hotel but on the other hand, I understand the motivation of the hotel. They are thinking about their brand and the kind of service they want to offer to there guests who I am sure contribute over 70% of their revenue. At the end of the day, it's their prerogative